"DOLE" IMMIGRANTS

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 185, 7 August 1935, Page 11

"DOLE" IMMIGRANTS

ENGLISHMAN'S PLAN.

MEN FOR DOMINIONS.

A SUBSIDY SCHEME.

(Special.—By Air Mail.)

LONDON, July 13.

Do the Dominions want a million new English immigrants and their families? Even in London people know the answer to that question—but there is nevertheless a plan on foot to send a million English workless overseas. But they would not come empty-handed to the Dominions. For at least three years the immigrants would be financed by the British "dole." Author of this remarkable plan is Mr. C. Horner Thomas, a retired official of the Cunard Line. He claime to have letters from the Prince of Wales, Dominion Governments, members of Parliament and others interested in his plan, which he believes can abolish at least half Britain's unemployment.

"What we should do," said Mr. Thomas, explaining his scheme, "is to arrange with the Dominion Governments to admit our unemployed as immigrants on the understanding that their unemployment assistance will be continued for a guaranteed period of at least three years. The money should be paid to the employers of the immigrants ae a wage subsidy to encourage them to extend operations and increase production. The Dominions' own unemployed would not be affected, because the immigrants would be employed only in cases where the absence of the subsidy would make the proposition uneconomic. The subsidy would be new money entering the Dominions and increasing their purchasing power.

"First we must convince our politicians that it is wiser to allow the dole to be used to produce work; second, obtain the active sympathy of Dominion Governments; and third, advertise the scheme throughout the Empire. After three years, I am convinced the eubsidy could be reduced and eventually stopped, and that the prosperity would remain permanent. I want to have my plan taken up, presented to the people, and adopted. I am only a little man here, and I do not care whether I or another carry it out, so long as it is done. I have raised every possible objection in my own mind and answered them successfully."